PANJIM: The Town and Country Planning (TCP) Board on Wednesday granted final zone-change approvals to 30 cases under Section 16B of the TCP Act. Decisions on 67 cases have been deferred to the next meeting, pending field reports from concerned departments like forest and agriculture.
Addressing media persons post th emeeting, Deputy Chief Minister Vijai Sardesai, who holds the TCP portfolio, said that the Board had granted provisional approvals for zone change to 97 applicants under Section 16B. “The provisional approvals are followed by ground report and site inspections. Also objections and suggestions from public,” he said.
Sardesai said that the cases were put in public domain for a period of 60 days inviting suggestions and objections. “After considering everything, we have found 30 cases fit under the mandatory criteria for zonal change. Hence we have given final approval to these applicants,” he said.
The Minister said that the balance 67 cases would be discussed at the next meeting. “The cases are not decided upon. The reports are pending from forest department, and in some cases we are yet to go through the reports. So we have decided to adjourn the meeting,” he said.
Sardesai said that in the provision approval stage itself, the Board had rejected six applications, while no decision has been taken till date in the case of 13 applications.
The TCP Board also revoked technical permission granted to two projects on the hill slopes of Curca in Tiswadi. The projects, proposed near 350-year old Church, were opposed by local MLA Francis Silveria, the panchayat and locals.
“Following objections from the public, we had issued show cause notice to the project proponent and their reply to the notice has not been satisfactory. Hence we have dismissed their contention and revoked the technical clearance granted to the project,” Sardesai said.
